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Is Everyone Going to Europe This Summer? 

International travel is expected to trounce domestic travel this summer, but U.S. cities and beaches should do okay. Hello, Miami! 

Here we find ourselves in another summer, and things are still in flux. Not bad, but still unsettled. The country is showing mixed economic indicators, with South Florida holding its own, with low unemployment, a continuing influx of people and businesses, and property values faring better than much of the country.  

Don’t expect the economic outlook to resolve during the summer, but there are signs that the summer will be good for the tri-county region. Because our data tells us that most of our readers are interested in the travel and tourism industry, and because business in South Florida is all-but synonymous with the leisure sector, we’re renewing our focus on the hospitality industry. So, this summer, across all our channels—monthly print, our revamped website, and our Rarefied e-newsletter—you’ll see more travel content than ever. 

Now, for some prognostication. Because many people regard this season as the first summer since 2019 that the pandemic is clearly in the rearview mirror, international travel will be lit this summer. There’s just so much pent-up demand to return to Provence, the Amalfi Coast, the Greek Isles and Mexico, that the domestic side that thrived last year will likely suffer. But that doesn’t necessarily presage a dark picture for South Florida. Data is also showing that what interest there is in domestic travel this summer is focused on two areas. The first is cities. That’s why New York, Seattle, Los Angeles and Boston ranked so well on a recent survey from travelawaits.com. But wait: Miami made the top 10, which is very encouraging, considering that summer is low season. 

That could be because domestic travelers, according to the same survey, are also focused on another attribute: beach destinations. Therefore, Greater Miami is extremely well-positioned to experience a lucrative summer: It’s doubly appealing to people who are motivated to travel this summer. And because of lower fuel prices and the softer demand for domestic vacations across the board, travelers will find airfares much more reasonable than last year. It’s not unheard of to find a one-way American Airlines fare for $89 between Miami and New York. And since most roundtrip flights to Europe are commanding $1,100 and higher this summer (last summer, you could snag one for $700), procrastinators may end up opting for last-minute domestic trips in the end. And South Florida hotel rates are a steal compared to high season.  

So, it’s appropriate that we’re featuring on our cover one of South Florida’s most effective boosters, Stacy Ritter, who serves as the president and CEO of Visit Lauderdale, the city’s wildly successful tourism arm that just announced record-breaking numbers at the Together We Shine Tourism Luncheon at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center. And as Ritter makes clear in our cover story, “The Embracing Place,” Fort Lauderdale is triumphing, in part, by reminding people that the city remains a beacon of inclusivity and diversity. As its motto says, “Everyone Under the Sun.” That’s a worthy example for the rest of the country, rain or shine. 

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Drew Limsky

Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.